Ondo State is one of the 36 States that constitute the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Located in the western part of the country, the State was created on the 3rd of February 1976 from the former Western State.
Initially, Ondo State included what is now Ekiti State (Ekiti was carved out from Ondo in 1996).
Nicknamed the “Sunshine State” and having Akure as it capital, Ondo State has a population of 3,460,877 (according to the national census last conducted in 2006)
Quick facts about Ondo State
- Date of creation: February 3, 1976
- Geopolitical zone: South West
- Sloggan: Sunshine State
The current Governor of Ondo State is Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu of the All progressives Congress, alongside his Deputy Agboola Ajayi
The State is close to the likes of Ekiti state (to the north), Kogi State (to the northeast), Edo State (to the east), Delta State (to the southeast), Ogun State (to the southwest), and Osun State (to the northwest)
Government And Society
The prominent local government areas in Ondo are Akoko, Akure, Okitipupa, Ondo, and Owo. A very large chunk of people residing in the State is settling in urban centers.
In terms of tertiary institutions, Ondo State can boast of the likes of:
- Elizade University, Ilaramokin
- Federal University of Technology Akure
- Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko
- Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa
- Achievers University, Owo
- Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo
- Adeyemi University of Education, Ondo
- Wesley University Ondo
- National Open University of Nigeria Oke Aro road Akure
- University of Medical Sciences, Ondo
- Federal Polytechnic, Ile Oluji
Local Government Areas
There are 18 local government areas in the State, and they are:
- Akoko North-East (headquarters in Ikare)
- Akoko North-West (headquarters in Okeagbe)
- Akoko South-East (headquarters in Isua)
- Akoko South-West (headquarters in Oka)
- Akure North
- Akure South
- Ese Odo
- Idanre
- Ifedore
- Ilaje
- Ile Oluji/Okeigbo
- Irele
- Odigbo
- Okitipupa
- Ondo East
- Ondo West
- Ose
- Owo
Demographics
Although there are various ethnic groups residing in the State, the predominant group is the Yoruba.
Also, Ijaw such as Apoi and Arogbo populations reside ythe coastal areas, and there are some people in the State who speak a variant of the Yoruba language similar to Ife dialect reside in Oke-Igbo.
Notable People from Ondo State
There are some famous Nigerians who are actually indigines of Ondo State. Some of them are:
- Olaniyi Adeyelu
- Ilesanmi Adesida
- Akintunde Akinwande
- Olusegun Mimiko
- Gani Adams
- King Sunny Ade
- Olusegun Agagu
- Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu
- Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu
- Bamidele Aturu
- Akinyelure Patrick Ayo
- Omotola Jalade Ekeinde
- Olu Falae
- Gani Fawehinmi
- T.B. Joshua
- Jimoh Ibrahim
- Nahzeem Olufemi Mimiko
- Micheal Ade Ojo: Founder of Elizade Motors, and Elizade University
- Bode Olajumoke
- Chris Olukolade
- Reekado Banks
- Mo Abudu
- Sola Sobowale
Past Governors of Ondo State (from1976 till date)
- Ita David Ikpeme: The first military governor that ruled the State from 1976 to 1978
- Sunday Tuoyo: A military administrator that served from 1978 to 1979
- Michael Adekunle Ajasi: The first civilian governor of the State. He came into power in 1979 and left in 1983
- Michael Bamidele Otiko: A military administrator. He was there from 1984 to 1985
- Michael Okhai Akhigbe: He took over from Otiko (1985 to 1986)
- Ekundayo Opaleye: He served as the State’s military governor from 1986 to 1987.
- Raji Alagbe Rasaki: He took over from Opaleye as the State’s Military Administrator from 1987 to 1988.
- Bode George: A military governor who served Ondo State from 1988 to 1990
- Sunday Abiodun Olukoya: He took over from George and ruled from 1990 to 1992.
- Bamidele Olumilua: The second civilian governor of Ondo State. Served from 1992 to 1993.
- Mike Torey: Military Administrator of Ondo, from 1993 to 1994
- Ahmed Usman: Military Administrator. From 1994 to 1996
- Anthony Ibe Onyearugbulem: Military Administrator who served from 1996 to 1998
- Moses Fasanya: The next military Administrator of Ondo State (1998 to 1999)
- Adebayo Adefarati: The third civilian Governor of Ondo State (1999 to 2003)
- Olusegun Agagu: He took over from Adefarati (2003 to 2009)
- Olusegun Mimiko: He succeeded Agagu and served as a civilian Governor from 2009 to 2017.
- Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu: He is the current governor of the State. He came into power through the platform of the All Progressives Congress